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Starlet

Film

A 21-year old aspiring actress and a grey-haired widow make an unlikely connection in Sean Baker’s slow-burning, low-budget gem, Starlet. Baker, who made his indie mark with films Prince of Broadway and Take Out, is also known for having a hand in TV sitcoms Greg the Bunny and Warren the Ape. For Starlet, Baker sets his characters in the sun-happy San Fernando Valley. Jane, played by Dree Hemingway (very much a relation to Ernest), decides to take a break from her drug-loving, dysfunctional roommates to hit up yard sales in the area. During her pilgrimage, she encounters Sadie, an elderly woman who sells her a thermos-cum-vase. When Jane realizes she’s picked up more than she’s bargained for, she decides to revisit the reclusive elder. Genuine, tender, and affecting, this unassuming film with bright performances continues to camp out in our consciousness.